[Sqg-program] pepper spray

Smith, Jeff Jeff.Smith@dep.state.fl.us
Wed, 1 May 2002 09:57:31 -0400


This is an email sent around some time ago on mace.  Might help. =20
js

***********************************************************************
Jeffrey A. Smith - Environmental Manager
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
P.O. Box 15425
West Palm Beach, Florida 33416
(561)681-6670 direct with voicemail
Suncom 226-6670/fax (561)681-6770
email: jeff.smith@dep.state.fl.us


Since MACE or like substances, such as pepperspray, are considered by
the FAA to be weapons, they absolutely cannot be taken on the
airplane.  This means that the canisters are a wastestream generated
by the airport. =20

Since this wastestream is fairly small (approx. 5-gallons per month
according to JIA officials), and not all the canisters confiscated can
be easily identified and the constituents determined, it was decided
that it would be more cost effective to dispose of the canisters as
hazardous waste.  According to various MSDS's out there on different
manufactured brands(at least those that we could find), these
canisters may contain the following:

	1.	Use of a flammable propellant
	2.	Use of chlorinated compounds such as
1,1,1-Trichloroethane
	3.	Use of compounds that individually may not be
hazardous but together may be=20
		characteristically reactive.
	4.	Use of compounds in an aqueous solution at extreme
pH's

This means that the wastestream should have D001, D002, D003, and F002
waste codes.  If the facility has information on a canister sufficient
to add or drop waste codes, or to determine the waste as non-haz, then
this should be indicated.  Most of this stuff should be considered
D003 anyway, just by the nature of the beast.

The idea came up about redistribution of the waste canisters to law
enforcement or other interested groups (such as organizations that
support victims of domestic violence).  The Jacksonville Sheriff's
Office considers the confiscated canisters as contraband and will not
endorse it's redistribution.  They are also not interested in the
canisters for use by their personnel since they have their own issue.=20
Even though this is what JSO said for here in Duval County, it should
be encouraged to check with the local law enforcement in other cities
and counties to see if there is an avenue to reuse this stuff without
disposing of it as a waste.

Another idea was to just set up a target out back and discharge the
canisters.  We think this would be considered possible treatment of a
hazardous waste and shouldn't be done.  It could be encouraged to have
the waste canisters discharged while being used in law enforcement
training exercises, such as in training airport security.


-----Original Message-----
From: Dwayne Mundy [mailto:mundy@ncfrpc.org]
Sent: Wednesday, May 01, 2002 9:11 AM
To: sqg-program@lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: [Sqg-program] pepper spray


Has anyone had to deal with the disposal of out-of-date or unwanted =
pepper
spray canisters?  Is there a safe way to empty them before crushing and
disposing of the empty containers?

Any ideas?

Dwayne Mundy
North Central Florida RPC

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